saker
/ˈseɪkə
/noun
1A large Eurasian falcon with a brown back and whitish head, used in falconry.
- Falco cherrug, family Falconidae.
- Some sakers have extremely pale plumage, appearing almost white in flight. Wealthy falconers are prepared to pay a fortune for these attractive birds.
2An early form of cannon.The saker fired solid iron shot, weighing between 1.8 and 2.7 kg (4-6lb). These would not explode on impact, but would bounce along the ground until they crashed into something or someone....
- Fort St. Maries had eight cannons, purchased by Lord Baltimore in 1633. Of these, four were rated as sakers and four as the larger demiculverins.
- English colonists gave their artillery colorful names, such as falcon, saker, demiculverin, and culverin, to name a few.
Origin
Late Middle English: from Old French sacre, from Arabic ṣaqr 'falcon'.